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. W. D. BROOKS.

Gan-Soldering Machine.

No. 228,864. Patented June 15, I880.

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W. D. BROOKS. Gan-Soldering Machine. No. 228,864. Patented June 15,1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. BROOKS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELF AND JOHN S. HULL, OF SAME PLACE; SAID HULL ASSIGNOR TO JONATHAN Q. RAND, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN-SOLDERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 228,864, dated June 15, 1880.

Application filed February 20, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. BROOKS, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can Soldering Machines; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to machinery for so]- dering cans, the object being to facilitate the work and to make the operation of such machinery more certain.

It consists, first, of an annular flame-chamber, in the central opening of which the can is placed, that it may be subjected at the proper point to the heat of the flame, in order 'to melt the solder without melting the side seams or scorching the bottom.

It consists, in the second place, of combining with the annular chamber a rotary cancarrier, located within the central opening of the chamber, whereby the can is rotated while subjected to the heat of the flame.

It consists, third, in mounting the annular chamber, together with the rotary can-carrier, upon a revolving disk or upon the radial arms of the revolving shaft, so that a series of such chambers and carriers may be operated in succession.

Fourth, it consists of certain details of construction adapted to carry out the leading features above specified, which subordinate features or details are hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereunto attached, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the can holding and turning devices, with the shafts, arms, and connections partly in section. Fig. 2 represents a single bracket; Fig. 3, a plan view of the device formoving the ratchet-arms; Fig. 4, a detail view of devices for operating the upper spider; Fig. 5, a front view of the flamechamber; Fig. 6, a top view of a section of the track, showing its cam shape.

It is contemplated, by means of the principal feature of my invention, to dispense altogether with the use of the soldering-iron and to apply the heat necessary to melt the solder by means of a flame caused to pass around the can at or near that part where the solder is applied. To accomplish this I have con struoted what I designate an annular flamechamber, which may be conveniently mad in the manner shown in the drawings.

In these drawings, the flame-chamber is shown at A. .lt consists of an upper and lower plate, a b, which are preferably made of cast-iron, but which may also be struck up out of sheet metal. Between these two disks, properly grooved to receive it, is held an outer shell or wall, 0, which I prefer to make of Bussia iron, but which may be made of any other suitable thin sheet metal. An opening, (I, is left in the front of the wall 0, through which the flame is driven into the chamber. The upper and lower disks may be held together by short bolts 1 1, or in any other convenient way. An opening is formed in the upper and lower plates of this chamber, care being taken that the size of the upper opening is suflicient to allow the can to turn freely in the opening without binding.

The opening in the lower plate is concentric with that in the upper, but is made of smaller diameter, to fit the annular can-holder c, on which the bottom of the can rests. This can-holder e is made of thin sheet metal, like the outer wall of the chamber. It terminates one-fourth of an inch (more or less) below thel ower surface of the ,upper disk, so as to expose the lower part of the side of the can resting thereon to the heat of the flame, and thus avoid the melting of the side seams.

The annular can-holder 0 being also about one-half inch. (more or less) smaller in diameter than the can, the annular portion of the bottom next the edge is, in like manner, presented to the flame within the chamber.

The outer surface of the flange e and the exposed portion of the bottom of the can form, practically, theinterior wall of the flame-chamber. This chamber is supported upon the bracket by an extension, f, of the lower plate, which extension is bolted to the upright portion 2 of said bracket, or by a projecting arm or support bolted to the bracket and secured to the wall of the flame-chamber on its upper or lower plate.

The'flange e rests upon an open cast-iron spider, g, which is held by a set-screw upon a shaft, h, passing through the lower tubular portion, 3, of the bracket. The can is held securely and steadily in place by means of an upper spider, i,mounted upon a shaft, i, which passes through arms 4 4. on the upper part of the bracket. The spider is fitted to clasp the upper part of the can and hold it accurately in line, and is pressed down upon the top by a spring, 5, placed on the shaft between the upper arm and a collar, 6, set upon the shaft.

The shaft of the upper spider is adapted to turn freely in its bearings, and the can, when held in place, may be rotated by the revolution of the lower shaft, accomplished by devices hereinafter to be described.

Theuvhole bracket carrying the devices and can above described is mounted on the slotted end of a radial arm, A, by means of trunnions 7 7, so that the bracket may tip from a vertical position outward a limited distance.

The shaft It extends through the tubular portion of the bracket, and is provided with a friction-pulley, 7c, and below the friction-pulley is it has an anti-friction sleeve at the end, which travels in a track, B. This track is camshaped, as shown at S, and holds the bracket and can in an upright position until it reaches the point 8, where it is inclined, for purposes which have been fully explained in the patent granted to myself and R. Gornall on the 28th day of November, 1876, and numbered 184,7 55.

The method of giving the inclination to the can is the same in the machine herein shown; but the devices for moving the series of radial arms and those for imparting a rotary motion to the can are essentially different. There may be any convenient number of the radial arms, carrying each a can-holder and flamechamber; but perhaps ten or twelve will ordinarily be found sufficient.

The bracket is supported in a vertical position throughout the greater part of its revolution around the central shaft by means of the downward prolongation of the end of the sh aft, heretofore described. WVhen it reaches the cam-shaped bend in the track, and is thereby tipped outward, the friction-pulley 7c is brought in contact with another like pulley, l, on the shaft 9, by which, so long as it is in its position of greatest inclination and opposite the said pulley I, it is rotated. The shaft 9 is driven by a band or gear on the end below, and is constantly and uniformly rotated; but it imparts only intermittent motion both to the radial arms and to the can-rotatin g device.

The friction-pulleys rotating the can-carrying device are so proportioned to each other that a complete, or nearly complete, revolution is imparted to the can before the armais moved, as hereinafter described. During this time, while the radial arm is at rest and the can is rotated, the flame is blown into the in a slotted arm, 12, and engages with the ratchet, which is fixed on a sleeve, 19, which revolves on sleeve 17 on the stationary shaft 0,

"and. carries a wheel, D, to which the radial arms are attached. The eccentric is arranged in relation to the ratchet and to the frictionpulleys heretofore describedso as to act as soon as the rotation of the can has been effected, and the movement is sufficient to push aside the completed canvand bring another into its place for a repetition of the operation already shown. The same process may be repeated indefinitely, attendants at different points at the table removing the cans which have been soldered and replacing them by others to be soldered. Nothing more is required than such attendance, the whole apparatus being moved by power applied to the shaft 9.

The wheel D is held when. at rest by the light spring-catch as acting in notches in the lower face of the wheel.

At a proper point, where the soldered cans are to be removed, the upper spider is lifted automatically by means of a lever, 13, pivoted on an arm, 14, of the central post. This lever is provided at the outer endwith a catch, g, which is placedin the path of the upper shaft, 2", of the spider 11, so that the button on said shaft shall rest at one period in the step-by-step movement of the radial arms within the said catch. At that movement a rod, 15, attached to the inner end of the lever 13, is pulled down by a cam, 16, on the end of the hollow shaft 17, and the upper spider thereby lifted to permit the can to be removed. The inner end of this lever may be operated directly by passing under an inclined lug or by other mechanism easily devised.

Instead of the radial arms, a revolving circular table may obviously be used, if preferred.

The construction of the flame-chamber heretofore explainedallowsthe walls to cool readily, and the open lower spider and thin annular flanges thereupon permit the can to cool readily. The opening in front of the flamechamber also admits the air to the can as soon as it is removed from the flame. The can is therefore sufficiently cool by the time it reach es the attendant at about one-fourth the circumference from the soldering-point, and may be removed.

Manifestly both ends of the can,,if to be soldered'on the inside, may be treated in the way above described, the solder-wire having 22s,sc4 3 been cut and bent into proper shape and placed within the can before it is put in position in the machine.

The machine may be operated so as greatly to facilitate the soldering of cans without the skilled labor ordinarily required.

Itwill be observed that in the general movement of the machine the hollow shaft or sleeve 17 has a constant revolution about the fixed shaft 0, being driven by the band on the pulley 18, fixed to the lower end of said hollow shaft. The shaft holds in fixed position as many of the arms 14 as may be necessary.

The hollow shaft 17 revolves constantly, carrying the cam which operates the levers that lift the upper spiders, and the hollow shaft 10 is made to move intermittently" by means of the ratchet carried by such shaft and the pawl operating as before described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a can-solderingmachine, an annular chamber with a central opening for the admission of cans and a side opening for the admission of flame, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with an annular chamber having a side opening for the admission of the flame and a central opening for the can, a revolving can-holder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A series of annular flame-chambers having side openings for the admission of flame and a central openingfor the can,.in combination with a revolving wheel, whereby such chambers are successivelybrought to the flame, as set forth. I

4. The combination of an annular flamechamber havingopenings for the admission of flame, a centrally-arranged can-carrier, a revolving support for both flame-chamber and can-holder, and mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotary motion to the can-carrier and can-holder, substantially as described.

5. In a can-soldering machine, a revolving support, in combination with a bracket carrying a can-holder and flame-chamber, and

with means for tilting such bracket during the rotation of the support, as set forth.

6. In combination, the bracket mounted upon trunnions in the radial arm A, the flamechamber A, and the spider g, substantially as the supporting-spider g, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the can-support c and its supporting spider and the annular flamechamber, the said can-support being made to terminate below the upper disk of the chamber, for the purpose set forth.

9. The annular flame-chamber, composed of upper and lower plates, at and I), the wall 0, and the side openings, (1, the parts being constructed and arranged as set forth.

10. The combination of the can-holder and its rotating support, the can-carrier, the pulleys 7c 1 9, the eccentric 0, and the pawl and ratchet 10 11, toimpart an intermittent rotary motion to the can carrier and support, as described.

11. In combination, the upper spider, i, and its shaft 6, having a button. with the lever 13, having the catch, and mechanism for operating such lever, for the purpose set forth.

12. In combination, a central shaft, a revolving wheel carrying can-support and flame- 8o chamber, the sleeve 19, the ratchet 11, and the pawl 10, operated by the eccentric 0, as set forth.

13. In combination, the fixed shaft 0, the movable sleeve 17, carrying cam 16, the lever 15, the lever 13, having catch q, and the shaft i of the upper spider, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this Specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM D. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

WARREN SEELY, CHARLES P. WEBSTER. 

